Dr. Kearns has an educational and research background in Kinesiology. She studied at Northeastern University in Boston and The University of Massachusetts Amherst. Dr. Kearns’ research includes examining the blood flow and vascular endothelial function response to acute bouts of exercise and inactivity. Following her PhD she worked in Preventive Cardiology at Hartford Hospital examining the effects of Statin medication on skeletal muscle function and muscle damage following exercise.

She has taught Kinesiology related courses both online and in the classroom. She currently teaches Exercise Physiology online for MGH Institute prerequisite course offerings.  Dr. Kearns has served as study coordinator of several pharmacological research trials examining muscle soreness from exercise, as well as a multi-center NIH trial examining the genetic polymorphisms associated with muscle growth following resistance training. Dr. Kearns has clinical experience working in cardiac rehabilitation and exercise stress testing laboratories at various Massachusetts Hospitals.

  • BS, Cardiopulmonary Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
  • MS/PhD, Kinesiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA

Research Interests

Dr. Kearns' research interests include the effects of acute exercise and inactivity on vascular endothelial function. Antioxidant and free radicals role during exercise. Skeletal muscle Rhabdomyolysis and Statin medication's effects on skeletal muscle

Hubal MJ, Devaney JM, Hoffman EP, Zambraski EJ, Gordish-Dressman H, Kearns AK, Larkin JA, Adham K, Patel RR, Clarkson PM. CCL2 and CCR2 polymorphisms are associated with markers of exercise-induced skeletal muscle damage. J Appl Physiol. 2010 Jun;108(6):1651-8.

Gardala M, Kearns AK, Thompson PD. Efficacy of Rosuvastatin (5 mg and 10 mg) twice a week in patients intolerant to daily statins. Am J Cardiol. 2008 Jun 15;101(12):1747-8.

Kearns AK, Bilbie CL, Clarkson PM, White CM, Sewright KA, O’Fallon KS, Gardarla M, Thompson PD. The Creatine Kinase Response to Eccentric Exercise with Atorvastatin 10mg or 80mg. Atherosclerosis. 2008 Sept;200(1):121-5.

Sewright K, Kearns AK, Hubal MJ, Clarkson PM. Sex Differences in Response to Maximal Eccentric Exercise. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 2008 Feb;40(2):242-51.

Devaney JM, Hoffman EP, Gordish-Dressman H, Kearns A, Zambraski E, Clarkson PM. IGF-II gene region polymorphisms related to exertional muscle damage. J Appl Physiol. 2007 May;102(5):1815-23.

Clarkson, PM, Kearns AK, Rouzier P, Rubin R, Thompson PD. Serum creatine kinase levels and renal function measures in exertional muscle damage. Med Sci Sport Ex. 2006 April ;38(4):623-7.